Madonna, Shakira & BTS to headline World Cup half-time show

Madonna, Shakira, and the globally renowned K-pop group BTS are set to co-headline the inaugural Super Bowl-style half-time show during this summer’s World Cup final.

The highly anticipated tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, culminating in the final match scheduled for 19 July in New Jersey.

While pre-match performances have become a staple at major sporting events such as the Champions League final, this marks the first occasion a half-time show will be introduced at a World Cup final.

Colombian superstar Shakira is preparing to unveil her official World Cup anthem, "Dai Dai"—an Italian phrase that translates to "let's go" or "come on"—which features Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is set for release this Thursday. Shakira previously released the iconic "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" for the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

Known as the "Queen of Pop," Madonna holds the title of the best-selling female music artist in history and is gearing up for the release of her 15th studio album, "Confessions II," on 3 July. Recently, the 67-year-old artist made a surprise guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter's headline performance at Coachella, where they performed a duet of "Vogue" and "Like A Prayer."

BTS, the seven-member K-pop phenomenon, has solidified its status as the best-selling music act in South Korean history, with over 45 million albums sold to date. The group achieved significant success with their collaboration alongside Coldplay, reaching number three on the UK charts with the track "My Universe" in 2021. Following a three-year hiatus to fulfill mandatory military obligations, BTS is in the midst of a remarkable 85-date world tour, coinciding with their performance at the World Cup final.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino noted in March that this show "will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup, befitting the biggest sporting event in the world."

The half-time performance has been curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, and proceeds from the show will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million (£73 million) to support children's education initiatives globally.